Enterprenuer
Larissa D’Andrea, Hard Knock Productions LLC and Art into Activism (501c3).
She has a passion for art and entertainment and founded the social impact company in 2020.
It focuses on investing in art that inspires Activism to create a positive environment.
In 2021, the non-profit was established to advocate for marginalized communities and work with other non-profit organizations.
HKP creates stories that increase visibility for people with disabilities, including LGBTQIA+, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
We work with musicians, artists, and filmmakers to promote environmental sustainability through artistic mediums.
We also strive to create inclusive work environments and educate ourselves about the history of the original landowners on the land we operate.
Art into Activism is a 501c3 non-profit organization.
It was established to work with marginalized communities and other non-profit organizations to support their work and advocate for them on the most important issues to them.
Larissa is also Vice President of Government Affairs at ResMed.
ResMed is a global leader for connected medical devices and digital health.
Since January 2013, she has been with ResMed. Larissa has held various leadership roles throughout her career to facilitate research, development, and market approval of digital and medical technology.
Her team works with industry, patient and clinical advocacy groups to ensure that patients have access to medical technology to improve their health, reduce healthcare costs, and improve their quality of life.
She also serves on the Executive Committee of the American Association for Homecare’s Board of Directors.
This advocacy group represents the interests of both manufacturers and healthcare providers in the U.S. homecare sector.
She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of California San Diego and a Master of Science degree in Legal Studies from the University of San Diego Law School.
Larissa enjoys spending time with her family and her toddler outside of work.
What is the story of Art into Activism?
As a child, I saw Annie as my first musical. After that, I was able to dance and sing in the theater.
Since then, I have been passionate about writing poetry and plays.
I produced and wrote my first play about keeping children away from drugs in sixth grade.
As I grew up, I focused my energies on science but didn’t lose my love for the arts.
I started a minor in theatre during my time at UCSD.
I realized I wasn’t a fan of acting after a small part in a graduate student production at La Jolla Playhouse.
These early childhood experiences gave rise to the name of a social impact production company.
Through the years, I have continued to write, often focusing my writing on historical female leaders in the hope of getting more women behind and in front of the camera.
Before the pandemic, I invested in an arthouse feature movie that addressed social issues in underrepresented groups.
This allowed me to expand my energies beyond medical technology.
Over the past two years, I have learned a lot and changed the company’s core objectives to be more inclusive of marginalized communities.
This work has led me to create Art into Activism, a non-profit that collaborates with communities and other non-profits to offer support and resources based on the needs of those in need.
It is a great blessing that I could combine my passions and advocate for medical technology access.
I also advocate for social change through entertainment.
ResMed, the company I work for, has been an advocate of the arts from its inception over 30 years ago.
We have unique insight into the entertainment industry and have found innovative ways to amplify patient, clinician, caregiver voices.
This allows us to create artistic content that encourages access to care.
How do you stay productive?
It is essential to know how you should spend your time and energy to reach your goals at a macro level.
The organization is crucial to making your goals a reality.
My week starts with a specific intention. I then organize my calendar and create a list of the most important things that need to happen.
To help me see if my energy and time are being wasted, I color code the blocks and blocked my time.
These blocks can be used to mentor, work with others, or just for myself.
I set aside time during the week and weekends to focus on the operational and creative activities that support non-profits and social impact production.
It can be challenging to manage multiple roles and time zones in your life.
Organization and planning are essential.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Whiteboarding and research are my passions.
I love researching and whiteboarding when I have an idea.
This includes independent research on the internet and finding experts to speak to.
Sometimes these are people I already know, but other times I reach out and connect with others to learn more.
I like to whiteboard my ideas, whether with markers, sticky notes, or electronic markers.
As I add more pictures, my thoughts begin to shape.
Next, I organize to bring my ideas to life and make it possible to implement or execute them.
These ideas are best shared with family, friends, and co-workers.
It is essential to explore and pressure test concepts with others.
This helps you grow and mature your ideas.
What’s your favorite trend?
Programs, initiatives, and companies with a social impact are becoming more mainstream.
In new ways, industries, people, and organizations are coming together.
It is becoming more common to harness entertainment and art in healthcare to make positive changes.
It is exciting to consider how art and entertainment can improve quality and reduce health inequalities.
What habits make you productive?
While organization and planning are essential, it is equally important to take time and space away from the day-to-day.
Creativity can often occur when you’re not focused on one task or problem.
What’s your advice for the Noob?
Spend some time understanding your motivations, what you’re naturally good at, and where you struggle.
Also, identify what you don’t like or don’t want to do. Learn what authenticity means to you.
I was too afraid to say no, so I did many things.
I now have a voice and know what authentic means to me.
What is one thing we can all agree on?
To refresh, I take the time to have some alone time.
This is how I see rest. I enjoy creating new ways of thinking and creating, no matter where I am or what I do.
What do you recommend as an entrepreneur?
Learn about your brand, mission, and goals and find people and organizations that align with them.
You can also do what works for you to manage your tasks and time daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly.
This will allow you to reach your goals.
What’s your rich strategy?
For growth, it is essential to network with like-minded people and organizations.
It’s not about pitching to them but learning from them.
Every conversation is a chance to get to know someone and learn from their experiences.
Sometimes there is a strong connection that leads to other opportunities.
Other times, it’s just one-off conversations that give you insight.
Respect, kindness, and genuine interest in others’ lives create a foundation that is more than superficial.
How do you overcome Failure?
I don’t fully understand the risks involved in a project.
This means that I do not know how different skills and experiences are related to the project.
I failed to balance my skills and expertise and mitigate risks, resulting in frustration, anger, and wasted time.
To help me communicate effectively and reduce risks, I am developing a process to understand better my roles, responsibilities, skills, experience, and other relevant information.
This will make it easier to improve the experience of others and create a positive environment.
Can you share a business idea?
Animation content that is safe in the digital age for children and parents.
The internet is constantly evolving, and younger generations can do more digitally than older generations.
I have yet to find great content that captures both parents and children in a fun and educational manner while also keeping up with the technology and evolving risks.
What’s your recent best buy?
Good food is essential to me. I don’t have the time or skills to cook well. It’s easy to get great, healthy food delivered.
What are your favorite Softwares or Apps?
A good calendar management tool is vital! Daily time management is essential for me.
Besides that, I have always been digital, but the pandemic has made me even more so.
Miro, Trello, and Slack are my favorite tools.
Slack integrates well with many other tools, making it a great communication tool.
We can have conversations in text or email and keep them organized.
You can also edit shared materials within the app.
Miro and Trello are great for brainstorming and whiteboarding digitally.
Miro is more like my whiteboard process, while Trello is my version of sticky note creativity.
Each has other functions that can help you develop and plan your strategy.
Which book would you recommend?
Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman This book is exciting and was recommended to me after a 360 review.
One of the critical areas for me to improve was to include others in my journey.
The book compares deliberative and instinctual thought processing to show the difference.
This is often viewed in terms of whether my mind is more resourceful or reactive.
This concept resonates with me because it helps me understand my response to a situation and determine if I need a shift in my thinking.
What’s your favorite quote?
“I don’t have a monopoly of the truth.” This quote can be used in many ways, but it was the first time I understood it when Kerry Patterson’s Crucial Conversations was published.
This quote stuck with me, and I still use it every day to remind myself and others that no one is the only source of truth.
TL;DR by Larissa D’Andrea
- It is essential to be authentic in order to navigate you through the bad and the good.
- A framework for tackling the most critical few is provided by effective time and goal management
- People are important. Invest time and energy in building relationships, understanding different points of views, and being willing to learn together
